Pakistan to lose ICC Champions Trophy 2025 rights? Wasim Akram reveals shady condition of PCB citing Dharamsala

Former Pakistan captain and left-arm pacer Wasim Akram criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not doing enough to improve the cricketing infrastructure of the country. Akram made this admission after a fan asked him why Pakistan doesn’t have a stadium, that is as scenic as the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala which recently hosted the 5th Test between India and England.

Wasim Akram sat for a discussion with a renowned local sports channel in Pakistan named A Sports where he is seen alongside Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez among others. Mid-way through their conversation, the host picked up a fan’s question from X (formerly Twitter) about why the PCB is reluctant to build new stadiums.

Wasim Akram asks the fan if he has seen the poor condition of Gaddafi’s stadium

The fan basically tried to convey that PCB should also be making stadiums like the one in Dharamshala and Queenstown (NZ) which are two of the most scenic venues to play cricket and sports overall.

As we all know, Pakistan have some portion of Kashmir known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which is as beautiful as the one we have in India. The fan, after observing the Dharamshala stadium being around the Himalayan foothills, was curious why PCB could not make a stadium in the Northern region of the country.

“We have seen stadiums like Dharamsala and Queenstown (New Zealand) why is the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not investing in the infrastructure of stadiums in the northern areas?” – the fan asked Wasim Akram via X.

In response, Wasim Akram lashed out at the country’s incompetent cricket board, claiming they are unable to even improve the conditions of the current stadiums, let alone build a stadium in the hills. “We can’t even maintain three stadiums, (Baki kaha naya bana lenge) how could we make a new one?” – Akram said via A Sports.

The cost involved in making a new stadium that too, in a hilly area will be too much, and with the amount of revenue PCB generates, it is next to impossible for them to even think of that. Couple the cost with the controversial region of POK which experiences internal violence now and then

Plus there is another facet within Pakistan for which the country is famous as well as infamous and that’s something we won’t discuss here. To create a stadium like Dharamshala, one needs over 5 years, crores and crores of investment, and a proper security system.

Wasim Akram says if PCB were to create a scenic stadium then it could be the one at Abbottabad

Wasim Akram then asked the fan to have a look at the rooftop of the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore which looks like it hasn’t been maintained for years. Wasim Akram also said that making a stadium like Dharamshala is something PCB can only dream but if they were to, the ground in Abbottabad would be apt.

“Have you seen the roof of the Gaddafi Stadium that they were showing with the drone? We can’t even control the three we have. We can only dream of making a new one. We have enough area to make a new stadium, though. Abbottabad is a very beautiful ground.” – Wasim Akram concluded.